The Kahtoola Microspikes are a new take on snow traction.They are essentially toned down crampons designed for hiking.
The Microspikes have a set of small teeth connected by chains.
The set of what are essentially snow chains for your feet wrap around your boot with a thick rubber ring.
They go on incredibly easy, especially when compared to strapping on a set of YakTrax.
They work so well I can’t even describe it! I have used them a good bit now and they really work amazingly well. They provide tons of extra traction in ice, hard packed snow and even loose snow. Things I would have been sliding down or tip toeing through these make a snap.
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| You feel confident enough to ice climb, almost… |
This spot below was 4 inches of powder on top of solid ice. With the Microspikes on I did not slip at all.
You would assume these would be heavy, but that’s not the case. They feel just as light as YakTrax.
The pair of them pack down very compactly, I carry them in a Jandd Backpack Pocket.
My only problem is that they do ball up with snow, which is a bit annoying. For example where my Kahtoola Microspikes balled up with snow…
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| Snow balling up on the Microspikes |
Laura’s YakTrax were doing fine.
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| YakTrax, same trail no snow balling here. |
I had to adjust the microspikes a few times on each hike. But this was no more a problem than with YakTrax. Also like anything metal you are strapping to your boots, they will cause extra wear from rubbing.
I have run in them on top of 2″ of solid ice, and they are INSANE! You just don’t slip at all. Color me impressed.
Bottom Line:
These Microspikes provide tons of traction, even more so than YakTrax. They are roughly twice the price of YakTrax, but go on much easier. My first pair of YakTrax broke after a handful of hikes, these have lasted longer already so that is cool. They seem to be beefier constructed. I like them and would pick them up for hiking over YakTrax. Walking in solid dry pavement in these is annoying, so if you need something for walking the dog in the neighborhood I would go for YakTrax. For dealing with ice on the trail, these Kahtoola Microspikes are amazing.
You can check them out at Kahtoola: http://www.kahtoola.com/microspikes.php
Kahtoola MICROspikes® Traction System – Multipurpose, Pocket-Sized Gear
Just think – a pocket-sized traction system that makes any terrain, any time of year, possible. Kahtoola MICROspikes® Traction System aren’t just spikes that dig in – they’re your passport to anywhere adventure takes you. When you don’t need a full-on crampon, our MICROspikes® Traction System will get you where you need to go with ease and precision.